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IDAHO 




P H T L A D K Ti P II I A : 

B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 

1890. 



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PHILADELPHIA: 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, 
1890. 



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Copyright, 1890, by J. B. Lippincott Company. 




IDAHO. 



Idaho, a territory of the United States, is situated 
between the 42d and 49th parallels of latitude, and 
mainly between the 111th and 114th meridians of 
longitude. In shape it is an irregular trapezoid. Its 
maximum length is about 490 statute miles; its 
breadth varies from about 42 miles at the ' pan-handle' 
which forms the northern part, to 300 miles along the 
southern boundary. Its area is about 84,800 sq. m. 

One of the main ranges of the Rocky Mountains, 
in various parts^ called the Cabinet, Coeur d'Alene, 
and Bitter Root mountains, forms the north-eastern 
boundary, separating Idaho from Montana. In the 
southern part this range is a portion of the continen- 
tal divide between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. 
About 70,000 sq. m. of the territory is situated in the 
drainage basin of the Columbia River ; the remain- 
ing part lies in the Great Basin, its surface waters 
flowing into Great Salt Lake. 

A comparatively small area in the south excepted, 
the entire surface is rugged and mountainous. In 
addition to the high range on the north-eastern border 
spurs of this range traverse the territory in a direc- 



4 IDAHO. 

tion generally east and west. Of these Salmon River 
Mountains are perhaps the most noteworthy, as they 
separate what is popularly known as Northern Idaho 
from the plateau-region in the central and southern 
part. All these ranges are high, their summits reach- 
ing elevations of 10,000 feet and upwards. The 
average altitude of the territory is about 5000 feet. 
The lowest level is the valley of Snake River, which 
at Boise City is 2000 feet above the sea-level. In the 
south are a number of irregular ridges largely shaped 
by erosion, locally known as the Bear River Moun- 
tains, Goose Creek Mountains, South Mountains, 
Blackfoot Range, &c. A part of the plateau-region 
is included in the great lava flood which occurred in 
comparatively recent geological times, and which is 
still noticeable in the cliffs and mesas that diversify 
the surface. 

Snake River — also known as Shoshone, and as 
Lewis River — drains by far the largest part of the 
territory. Its course (about 850 miles in length) lies 
in a valley remarkable for scenic beauty. In various 
places the valley widens out into broad savannahs 
susceptible of a high degree of cultivation. The open 
valleys alternate with narrow canons through which 
the river flows in dalles and cataracts. This river is 
navigable from the mouth of Powder River to Salmon 
Falls, a distance of 200 miles. Salmon River, one of 
the largest tributaries of Snake River, drains the 
central part. The character of its valley is much 
like that of the latter. Clearwater, Payette, Boise, 
Weiser, Bruneau, Malade, and Goose rivers are tribu- 
taries, important mainly for the fertile lands which 



IDAHO. 5 

flank their courses. Pend d'Oreille, or Clarke's Fork, 
drains Northern Idaho. Its main tributaries are Coeur 
d'Alene and St Joseph rivers. Dalles, cascades, and 
cataracts characterise all the rivers of the territory. 
Shoshone Falls almost rival those of Niagara in 
grandeur. 

There are two lake-regions : one in the pan-handle, 
the other in the south-east. The former includes 
Pend d'Oreille, Coeur d'Alene and Kaniksu lakes; 
the latter, John Day and Bear lakes. The surplus 
waters of Bear Lake flow through Bear River into 
Great Salt Lake. These lake-regions abound in game, 
and are perhaps the finest hunting-grounds in the 
United States. 

Among the wild animals are the grizzly bear, two 
species of brown bear, the black bear, raccoon, pan- 
ther, badger, wolf, fox, and coyote. Fur-bearing 
animals are represented by the lynx, mink, and beaver. 
The bison, once common, is now rarely if ever seen. 
The moose and elk are occasionally met with. Deer 
of two species and antelope are numerous. The 
Rocky Mountain sheep is found in the Coeur d'Alene 
Mountains. 

Vegetation is abundant in the northern and cen- 
tral parts, but somewhat deficient in the arid lands of 
the south. Forests of conifers, including white, 
yellow, black or lodge-pole, and sugar pine, as well 
as several species of cedar and spruce, cover the 
western slopes of the Bitter Root and Coeur d'Alene 
mountains. Th,ese forests embrace a wealth of timber 
not surpassed by any other equal area on the conti- 
nent. Fir. tamarack, and larch are also abundant. 



6 IDAHO. 

In the central and southern part the forests give place 
to extensive mesas overgrown with sage brush, and 
rolling lands covered with bunch grass. The river- 
valleys are dotted with occasional groves of cotton- 
wood and thickets of wild fruits, such as the black- 
berry, wild currant, salal, and fox-grape. 

The mineral wealth of the territory consists chiefly 
in its mines of silver, lead, gold, and copper, produc- 
tive in the order named. In 1889 the output of these 
metals aggregated $17,000,000. Coal of good quality 
has been discovered in seven of the eighteen counties. 
In the basin-region of the south-east soda, gypsum, 
sulphur, and minerals common to lacustrine deposits 
abound. Mineral springs are numerous. 

The climate is exceedingly healthy. The extremes 
of temperature rarely range beyond o° and 90 F., 
except in regions of great altitude. The rainfall, 
abundant in the north, is deficient in the south, so 
that irrigation is necessary to ensure full crops. In 

1889 the agricultural products, stock and farm, ag- 
gregated about $10,000,000. Grain-farming is of 
necessity confined to the narrow river-valleys, and, as 
a whole, the territory is better adapted to stock-rais- 
ing than to cultivation. The crops are largely moved 
by wagon-trains and river-boats, but there were in 

1890 about 1000 miles of railway. 

Politically the territory is divided into eighteen 
counties. The government is similar to that of other 
territories. The population, distributed mainly along 
the river-valleys of the southern and western parts, 
was returned at 14,999 in 1870, and 32,610 in 1880; 
in 1889 it was estimated at about 117,000, one-fifth 



IDAHO. 



7 



consisting of people of the Mormon faith. There 
are also upwards of 10,000 Indians not included in 
the foregoing numbers. The public schools and re- 
ligious and charitable institutions are well supported. 
Boise City, the capital and largest city, has a pop- 
ulation (1889) estimated at 5000. Lewiston, Hailey, 
Murray, and Malade are prosperous business centres. 



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